Comparing of Cultivated Annual and Perennial Calendula officinalis L. Species

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the highest dry flower yield and essential oil content of yellow and orange flowered annual and perennial marigold plants. Annual and perennial Calendula officinalis L. plant seeds with yellow and orange flower obtained from Research and Application Center of Botanical Garden and Herbarium, Ege University were used as a study material. The experiment was established to the 1000 m2 area of Ege University Odemis Vocational School field according to split-split plot parcel design with three replications on 28th of March 2016. Flowers were harvested when the plants in full blossom stage, every ten days. Annual yellow and orange flowers and perennial yellow and orange flowers were evaluated separately for each harvest. Totally seven harvest were done. All fresh flowers were weighed after then dried in a drying cabinet at 30 oC and essential oil contents were obtained by hydro distillation method. The highest dry flower yields for perennial plants were provided for yellow flowered plants; at 7.54 kg da-1 and for orange flowered plants; 7.28 kg da-1. The highest essential oil contents in perennial were determined for yellow flowered plants as 0.051%, and orange flowered plants; 0.020%. In general, it can be said that content of essential oil is higher in perennial plants than single years.